Powell Center Working Groups - Class of 2026

By John Wesley Powell Center for Analysis and Synthesis February 18, 2026

The Powell Center is pleased to announce two new working groups beginning in FY26. These projects were ranked by the Science Advisory Board and reflect the highest quality science, breadth, depth, and relevance reflective of the mission of the USGS.

The Powell Center is pleased to announce two new working groups beginning in FY25. These proposals were selected by the Science Advisory Board from a total of 22 submissions and reflect much of the breadth of USGS Earth system science.

Please join us in wishing success to our new Working Groups:

Synthesis Leaders	Title
Johanna M. Kraus (USGS Columbia Environmental Research Center) Christy Morrissey (University of Saskatchewan) Brianna Williams (USGS New Jersey Water Science Center) Jeff Wesner(University of South Dakota)	A spatially explicit framework to assess the risk of aquatic contaminants to insectivorous birds
Devin McPhillips (USGS Earthquake Science Center) Drake Singleton (USGS Earthquake Science Center) Edward H. Field (USGS Geologic Hazards Science Center) Thomas L. Pratt (USGS Geologic Hazards Science Center)	Operationalizing the use of millennial-scale geologic constraints for testing and improving modern seismic hazard models